Renaissance
by Shuiro Ecstacy
Summary: A death leads to hate, but then hate progresses to love. Now two very combatant men must figure out what kind of love they're developing.
1. Renaissance: Chapter 1

A/N: Ah, greetings my fellow AC fans. This is yet another piece of work I plan to elongate until I feel it's suitable enough for my readers. It consists of romance, drama, tragedy, angst, and a touch of humor. The poem is an epilogue almost, basically summarizing the entire story. With the exception of the second romance, of course. But if you have half a brain, you should be able to figure that out on your own, especially after reading the second chapter.

Now, I refuse to make you wait any longer, though I can't see why you would want to read all of this in the first place. Anyway, I present to you... _Renaissance_.

* * *

When I said goodbye  
To your beautiful face  
I came to my knees  
With no form of grace  
I couldn't think straight  
My mind was in shreds  
Because everything's changed  
Now that you're dead  
I'll never forgive him  
But I need to know  
Was he really a friend?  
Or always a foe?  
I can't give him trust  
Nor show him my fear  
But I will show him pain  
Tear after tear  
And it's all for you  
I swear, it's no lie  
Please come back to me  
Even if I have to die.

**Cloud POV:**

_I hate it when people tell me that life isn't fair.  
__One and all can discern this.  
__But which includes more unfairness: life… or death?

* * *

_

"But _Cloud_, you _promised_!"

"Yeah, we've been looking forward to it _all year_!"

Tifa chuckled from the doorway. Cloud gave a slight 'you're not helping' glare to the silhouette in front of him. Behind Tifa was a screen door, smeared with fingerprints and rain stains. This made what he saw all the more beautiful; the autumn sun shone through several trees across the street from where their house stood. Orange light glowed all around and poured into the room. Cloud spotted three children running up to a doorway to the house across from theirs, all wearing extremely peculiar outfits. In fact, he hadn't seen one kid yet that wasn't wearing something that would make you laugh until you choked on whatever was in your mouth, even your own spit.

In other words, it was Halloween.

Tifa sat on a stool with a silver popcorn bowl filled with candy in her lap. She sat on the porch, but was still in view from the screen door and the next window, which began a mere inch after the doorway stopped.

Cloud sighed. It wasn't that he didn't want to take the kids trick-or-treating. He was (though he would have trouble saying it in front of Tifa and the children) a little frightened about tonight. The freakiest of freaks came out this time of the year, and Cloud was worried about what would happen to the kids if they were lured inside a house getting candy or got picked up by some creep driving down the street, and what would happen to Tifa while they were gone.

Cloud knew that the kids would probably be fine as long as he were with them, which was hard to follow through with, really (Cloud shuddered at the thought from last year; two separate cramps from running everywhere and several pieces of candy thrown in his face from turning children around that looked like Denzel or Marlene.

But Tifa…

These creeps would snatch Tifa in an instant. Regardless that she could kick their ass anyway, but still. Cloud worried about her whenever she was alone. It just didn't feel right to him, and it bothered him that absolutely no one would be with her tonight.

Cloud felt a sharp pang at his left cheek and a soft thud on his left leg. He looked down and picked up a Tootsie Roll. He rolled his eyes and threw the piece of chocolate back to the laughing Tifa.

"Sorry Cloud, but you think too much. I had to wake you up somehow."

Denzel snickered and Marlene giggled. Cloud gave a playful growl to them and they stopped, then screamed and ran around the table that was in front of the couch they were sitting on. Cloud got up and reached over the table, snatching one of the two's arms. It was Marlene. He pulled her over the table and slung her carefully into his lap back on the couch and began tickling her. She squealed in laughter and squirmed, but made no attempt to get Cloud to stop. Instead, she shrieked, "Denzel! Make… make him stop! Ple..please!"

Denzel ran around the table and pounced on Cloud, tickling him too. Cloud immediately let go of Marlene and laughed. Marlene jumped on Cloud and helped Denzel with his devilish deed. Tifa remained where she sat, laughing so hard that she almost dropped the bowl in her lap.

"Okay, okay! Okay! Get off! I'll take you, I'll go!" Cloud was still chuckling when the two kids gasped and climbed off of Cloud's body. They began dancing around the room, chanting and singing. Tifa motioned for them to put their costumes on (gods knew what they would look like), and Cloud got up to walk to the porch.

As he pushed the door open, Tifa smiled at him and looked back at the street. Cloud stood behind Tifa, sliding his arms around her waist and sighed.

"Why the hell didn't you come help me? Tickling hurts you know."

Tifa laughed. Cloud smiled. He loved her laugh. Something _had_ to be funny for her to laugh. Not to mention she had to smile when she laughed, and Cloud loved that even more. He rested his chin on her shoulder and kissed her neck, leaving his lips there for several seconds before removing them. Tifa managed to turn her head to face him and kissed his lips. Cloud smiled at her before walking back in the house. As Tifa watched him go, her smile faded and she gave a helpless sigh.

_You'll know soon enough, my love…

* * *

_

"Wow, Cloud! Look at all this candy!"

"Yeah, we'll have rotten teeth forever!"

"And I'll pull each and every one of them out. Don't eat all of it tonight. Now go change and get ready for bed." Cloud nodded towards the front door and took two bags full of candy from two disappointed children. He watched them race each other inside, and then focused on the stool with the empty bowl on top of it.

"Tifa…" Cloud frowned for a moment. She would have taken the bowl in, right? And the porch lights are still on; if she had run out of candy, she would have gone in and turned them off. He shook his head. No, if Marlene and Denzel had seen anything yet, wouldn't he have heard something by now?

Cloud rolled his shoulders back and sighed. Tifa was right; he thought too much. And he thought the worse to boot. Shaking his head at himself for being so conclusive, Cloud walked up the steps and pulled open the door, grabbing the bowl as he stepped inside.

And there she was.

Cloud stood there for a moment, silver bowl in hand, staring at the woman that sat in front of him. She was in the center of the couch, both arms on the top of it. She smiled up at him, but noticed the firm look on his face and changed her cheerfulness to confusion. Cloud calmly stood there, not moving an inch, never saying a word. Tifa began to feel uneasy. She wished he would say something. There was no telling what he was thinking right now.

"Where are the children?

Tifa mentally sighed. "They're upstairs. Marlene's taking a showe- " She gasped and jumped as Cloud slung the candy bowl to the side. The impact of the bowl hitting the wall was sudden and loud, making Tifa's heart skip a beat. Cloud sighed and lowered his head.

"Do you have _any_ fucking idea how much you scared me?"

Tifa tilted her head.

"Cloud, I didn't- "

"You fucking _know_ how much I hate this time of the year! More than any other time! And it's because of you, and yet you become so fucking careless- "

"Cloud! _The_ _children_!"

Cloud stopped. Not because he realized that Denzel and Marlene could hear him, but because Tifa was crying. He could see it in her expression, and he could swear her voice cracked when she yelled at him. Cloud sighed and rubbed his face. He felt guilty for making Tifa cry. It was one of the most heartbreaking things he'd ever witnessed. He walked forward and kneeled in front of her, taking her hands. She breathed slowly, and Cloud knew she was trying to hold it in. He'd learned that Tifa hated showing any signs of weakness, even crying in front of Cloud made her uncomfortable. He lifted one of his hands and tilted her chin up. Tifa's eyes remained lowered, and Cloud decided it was best not to push her, so he held her hand again.

"I didn't mean it."

He hadn't understood what he said until after he said it, but he instantly regretted it. Tifa's eyes flashed straight into his, no longer full of tears, but full of frustration.

"So… what did you mean?"

Cloud understood that she wasn't referring to the bowl or the comment that she had frightened him. He licked his lips, trying to think of how to explain why he had yelled at her.

"It's… difficult for me to…"

"Difficult for _you_?"

Try again.

"No, no. It's hard to explain- "

"Then should you bother?"

Damn her.

"I'm sorry."

Tifa nodded. "That's better. Keep going." Cloud blinked. She wanted more?

"I'm not sure what else to say…"

"Then say what you're sure of."

That was easy.

"I love you."

She knew it was what he would say; that's why she'd said it. In her head, she smiled. On her face, however, she remained stern. She stood, and so did he. Tifa thought for only a few seconds on how to bring the almighty Cloud Strife down. How to do it, how to do it…

She circled around Cloud, bringing her arm around his neck. She felt him shiver. _Bingo_.

Lifting herself up, she kissed his ear and whispered in it.

"The park. Midnight. Don't you _dare_ be late."

* * *

Normally, sitting on a wooden swing that could give your ass the worst splinters you've ever experienced in your life would be a pain, but Tifa's attention was focused on the sixteen-minute late man walking towards her. She smirked when she saw the apprehensive expression on his face. Cloud put a hand behind his head and scratched his neck, unsure of what to do now that he was here. Tifa leaned forward, both arms on either chain that held her swing up.

"I warned you." Keeping off the subject of why he was really here wouldn't do much harm, would it? Or would it make it all the worse?

Cloud nodded. "I lost track of time…"

Tifa gave a playful growl and stood up, placing her hands on her hips. Cloud took a step forward, then another, then one more…

He gasped when Tifa lunged forward and tackled Cloud to the ground. When he looked up, he saw a vexed face staring right back at him. Then, she did something even worse than what he had been dreading.

She tickled him.

Now, Tifa's tickling was very diverse from Marlene or Denzel's. The kids had little chubby fingers that made tickling feel like rolling over tiny anthills. Tifa, however, had long fingers. What's worse, she had long fingernails. So getting tickled by Tifa was basically getting splashed in the face with cold water. It made you go insane, you don't expect it, and for a while you can't do anything about it.

Cloud only squirmed at first, making little grunting noises. He refused to let her win. To bring him here at midnight and tickle him? Oh _hell_ no.

Cloud finally burst and laughed, wriggling even more and trying to pull her arms away. But she would always move them out of the way at the perfect moment. Prodding at his sides, his underarms, his neck, his shoulders, his knees, or whatever else she could reach, Tifa held her giggles in as she continued her task of punishment. Cloud finally reached up and placed both hands on either side of Tifa, holding her by the waist and catching her by surprise. She immediately stopped tickling and brought her hands to his. The sudden movement released her force against gravity and she dropped on Cloud's body. Eyes of entrancing sapphire captured Tifa's attention, and she found that she could feel nothing, hear nothing, or know nothing. Nothing except the glow of a streetlight above them beaming on one of Cloud's cheeks, making the skin paler than it already was. Pastel flaxen hair brushed over and away from his face, which would normally make it hard to keep the stare Tifa was giving him. But what she was doing wasn't exactly staring. It was gazing.

Cloud brought his hand up to Tifa's neck, sliding it around the back and underneath her hair. He shivered; the strands were soft and cold from the crisp air about them. He kept his other hand on her left side. Never letting go of his watch, he pulled Tifa's head towards his face so that their noses nearly touched. He heard Tifa hold her breath, and he smirked, only slightly. He lifted his head to her ear, delicately brushing his cheek against hers on his way. His lips found her lobe, and he moved them up.

"That's enough."

Tifa bit her lip to keep from shivering. The sound of his voice was soft, but commanding all the same. Still, she rolled her eyes. She'd stopped for a reason. It's not like she was going to keep tickling him again anyway. Cloud gently pushed her over and stood up, letting go of her waist and grabbing her hand. He pulled her up and brought her body closer to his. They were actually closer than they had been lying down. Tifa's eyes looked to her right so she stared through the strands of his hair. She felt something warm slide across her ear, and went weak at the knees when she realized it was his tongue. He licked the side of her ear up to her cartilage, then back down the other side. If Marlene and Denzel saw them…

Tifa lifted her chin and tilted her head away from him. But Cloud wasn't done. He nearly buried his head into her neck, trailing tracks of his teeth and saliva all the way to her collarbone. When he reached it, he took small nibbles and waited until she indicated it hurt too much, then stopped and kissed where he had bit. He played with the hem of her shirt, as if teasing her, asking permission to remove it. Tifa brought her hands to Cloud's chest, only resting them there. She sighed every now and then in pleasure. It had been a while since they'd gotten the chance to do this, and she wasn't going to miss the opportunity. In fact, she was going to savor every last bit of it. It wasn't the reason she'd brought him here, though.

"Cloud…"

"Hn?"

Tifa could only let out a moan as Cloud softy swept the back of his fingernails down her side, giving her more chills. His nails were exceptionally long, and it felt so good. Tifa felt more relaxed than she'd felt in a long time, but she was getting irritated. Cloud was so seductive when they were alone, and she forgot how hard it was to think when they were together. But damn it she had something to say, and he wouldn't let her. Bastard.

"Cloud, not now…"

Cloud moved his head to the other side of Tifa's neck and began nibbling there, too.

"Mm, why?"

"Because I… you can't… what if we get caught?"

"That's never stopped us before, has it?"

"It was a single incident, Cloud. Besides… what are we going to do in a park?"

Cloud stopped. Tifa lowered her eyebrows in confusion, then lifted them again in realization and mentally slapped herself. She didn't mean for it to come out the way it had sounded, but it was too late now. Cloud lowered his arms and took a half step away from her, giving her an intense stare that Tifa wanted to look away from. So she did. He let out a short breath.

"What was it for, then?"

Tifa didn't answer. Cloud brought his hand up to her chin and turned her head so that she was looking at him. Their eyes met for only a second, then her eyes fell to the ground.

"Damn it, Tifa, look at me."

She did. He lowered his hand; she wouldn't look away again after that, he knew.

"Answer me."

Cloud's voice was calmer this time, yet very firm. Tifa's lip trembled at the sound of it. She couldn't stand it when he was angry or frustrated, and right now he was both. Cloud didn't miss the tremble, and he sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"It isn't that difficult, Tifa. You know I won't get mad at the answer. I just wish to know why." He took her left hand with his right. She didn't move. Cloud brought their hands up to his lips, placing them on her fingers and keeping them there. Tifa sighed. She didn't want to tell him why she brought him out here. It was a secret she'd been keeping for a while, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to tell him. Of course, not telling him would make it all the worse, but what had put her in this situation was procrastinating it in the first place, so facing the music was her only sane option.

"Let go of my hand."

Cloud pulled his head back. He hadn't expected that at all, and she sounded extremely serious. He did as he was told and put his hands to his side. The glow from the streetlight still reflected on him, but only his hair. His face was dark, so she couldn't see his expression. Quite frankly, she didn't want to. It made it all the easier.

She hadn't planned what to say. She'd tried, but nothing had come out right. She really hadn't been able to focus at all. She'd just been thinking about the consequences, and of course it would be the effect of her not practicing. She'd been thinking about it all day though. Ever since she'd woken up and her eyes had lain on his still-sleeping face.

There's no way he would let her beat around the bush. As much as she wanted to, she knew she couldn't. She figured she'd get straight to the point, and that's just what she did.

"It's about Vincent."

If Cloud's expression changed, she still couldn't see it, so she went on.

"We've been… talking lately."

"About?"

"…A lot of things."

Tifa was getting frustrated at herself. She knew she was holding it back, even though she'd told herself not to. But it was so hard…

"We've been talking about us."

"Which 'us'? You and me us, or you and…"

"Vincent?"

"Yes."

"Yes."

Cloud lowered his head. Tifa felt a pang in her stomach as cerulean light spread over the top half of Cloud's face so that she only saw his eyes. Even though she couldn't see the rest of him, she knew that look in his eyes. It was impatience. Tifa knew better than to press that attribute. The more it built up, the worse it got when it evolved to anger. Unfortunately, she had no idea what else to say. Like he had read her mind, Cloud spoke up.

"What about the two of you?"

"Our friendship." That was a lie, and she knew it. He knew it, too, so he pressed further.

"Are you sure?"

"Not really."

"Then let's think a little more clearly. Tell me what you _are_ sure of." Tifa scratched her neck where her jaw line ended.

"I'm sure of the fact that we… we think our _friendship_ could go further…" Cloud's eyes narrowed, and Tifa's heart skipped a beat. She could tell this wasn't going to be good, but getting it over with was the best thing she could do, no matter how painful it would be.

"Cloud… he wanted me to tell you…"

She was still trying to find the right words to say without sounding too vulnerable or too stupid, but still be accurate and true with what she said. Cloud hadn't moved, and it was making her nervous.

"The two of us, you and I, shouldn't be together."

It wasn't Tifa who had said it, and that's what surprised her. Cloud's lips were already closed; she hadn't seen them move in the first place, he'd said it so fast. She was immediately confused, and what's more, she was terrified. He knew, and he was smart enough to know that if she denied it, she'd be lying. She opened her mouth to reply, but something told her it was best not to speak until she knew his true reaction. She pressed her lips together and slowly nodded her head twice. Cloud still didn't move. _Why don't you do something?_

"Do you agree with him? "

She took in a short, desperate breath and nodded again. She suddenly felt Cloud's eyes burning into hers; filled with a sudden feeling she'd never felt from that dreadful stare. It was _hate_.

"What were some of the things you said?" Cloud felt like an adolescent schoolgirl, seeking to gossip about he-said, she-said things. But that was ridiculous. They were grown adults, discussing matters he never thought they'd have to.

"We… we said tha –"

"I don't care what he said right now. I'm focused on you."

Those last words made Tifa quiver, but she continued.

"I told him I would keep my feelings for him and you diverse. That I would… diminish my feelings for you." She heard Cloud let out another short, angry breath, so she decided to keep going. "But I know I can't. I can't do that to you, Cloud. I can't do it to myself."

"You're doing a hell of a terrible job of it, then."

"I'm serious, Cloud. I can't let myself just lose the feelings I've gained for you."

"I meant the other way around."

Tifa's mouth came open, but only slightly. She'd just heard the most painful thing in the world, and she'd seen it coming all up to two seconds before he'd said it. She made her lips thin again and closed her eyes shut as tightly as she could, lowering her head. Cloud didn't bother to comfort her. He was losing the affectionate sympathy he'd felt for her earlier. In only a matter of minutes, he'd come to _hate_ her. Something he'd never thought would happen.

"Are you going to him?"

Tifa knew there was more than a question behind it. It sounded more like a command, and she didn't blame him. Getting rid of her was something she knew he'd want to do immediately. Who would want to spend time around the person that was slowly breaking your heart?

"I will."

Something in her voice took Cloud by surprise, but he didn't show it. The feeling coming from her voice suddenly sounded like it was returning the feeling he was giving her. _You break my heart, I'll break yours, I suppose…_Though it was a game they'd already been playing since Tifa had spoken up about the park. Cloud's eyes widened a little. The park… there _had_ been a reason she brought him here instead of telling him at their home. _Fine_, Cloud growled in his head. _If that's how she wants to do it…_

Tifa gasped as Cloud raised a hand to her, intending he was going to hit her in the face. As he had expected, Vincent suddenly dashed from nowhere, his hand grasped around Cloud's wrist. He stood in between Cloud and Tifa, his free hand at his side but still protectively in front of Tifa.

Tifa could barely see over Vincent's shoulder. Cloud was giving a full-on glare to Vincent, and she was sure Vincent was doing the same. She could tell Cloud wasn't too thrilled about having a newborn enemy who was a former accomplice and friend protecting someone who he'd just stolen from him while grabbing his wrist. But he did nothing. Instead, he spoke slowly, like he was being careful of what he was saying.

"So… where to start, hm?"

"You tell me… _Cloud_."

The way Vincent emphasized 'Cloud' made Cloud angrier. He said it as if they'd been enemies all their lives. Tifa took her right and placed it on the back of Vincent's shoulder so Cloud couldn't see. Vincent felt this and released Cloud's wrist. The touch from Tifa was a sign that she wanted him to be careful, for all their sakes.

Cobalt glared at crimson, and no one moved. Vincent's crow-colored hair tickled his face from being swept in front of it, but he refused to make the first move, as did Cloud.

"This isn't necessary Cloud. The best choice would be to simply accept Tifa's decisions and move on with your life, as she has chosen to do. You would be wise to consider the option."

"You don't know me very well, do you?"

"I know you well enough."

"Then you should know what comes next, right?"

He did know, and even though his face was layered with anger and hate, underneath it was a feeling of regret and sorrow. In a way, he'd always looked up to Cloud. It sometimes amazed him the way he dealt with problems, the way he played peacekeeper most of the time, the way he cared for everything important to him. He'd even come to admit to himself that he loved Cloud like a brother. They'd talked to each other in ways lovers couldn't even do. How different they were and how they still understood each other so well was still a mystery to Vincent, and here they were, about to end the path of him discovering the answer to it. Vincent kept his impassive glare steady, but kept speaking.

"Tell me, Cloud, would you regret it if someone died tonight?"

Tifa gasped slightly. Cloud's eyes twitched in surprise, but only for a second. After a while, he lowered them to the ground.

"No."

Tifa, whose hand was still on Vincent's shoulder, tightened her grip on the cloth she held. Vincent lifted his chin. He hadn't expected such an honest answer, or one so short. But he understood in nonetheless. Right now, his growing hate for Vincent was the only reason he had gone to hit Tifa; he wanted to see Vincent face to face, and since his words seemed limited, he didn't bring him out in the open just to talk. Violence was never the answer for Cloud, but it was one hell of a solution. Tifa had just broken his heart and bungled his head, and the only thing he could be thinking of is to get rid of her. Vincent knew Cloud still loved Tifa, but to leave him for someone like Vincent? What else are you supposed to do? Cloud has never been the type to sit in a corner and languish from distress all day. When something needed to be done, he took action. And the last victim of Cloud's words was Cloud himself. He felt right now at this very moment that if he himself died, no one would care; contrary to what Vincent knew what was the truth. Cloud was forgetting about the thirty other people that deeply cared about him, two of which expected him to be in his home in eight or so hours. Still, if this was where Cloud was going with it…

"I see. So Cloud, do you believe I don't know you well enough to determine the outcome of a battle?" He placed his hand on the tip of the gun tucked away in its pouch. Tifa tightened her grip again, this time digging two of her nails into Vincent's shoulder. He ignored it and waited for Cloud's answer. The blonde lowered his head, continuing to stare at Vincent.

"Was that a question," Cloud began while putting his hand on his Bustersword, "or an invitation?"

Vincent slipped _Cerberus_ out of the pouch and held it at his side. The question was almost sardonic in Vincent's ears. The quandary of Vincent possibly having to raze Cloud in a battle was fading away with each passing moment. He put his left arm behind him and gently grabbed Tifa's hand, reassuring her only by touch, telling her to leave for safety at the same time. Tifa understood, squeezed Vincent's hand, and jumped into the air. Cloud let out a surprised and frustrated breath, his head following her as she jumped into the dark, masquerading branches above them. Vincent took the open shot and lifted his hand, firing a shot into Cloud's left shoulder. Cloud gasped and let out a groan of pain, stumbling backwards. Never actually having drawn his sword, he let go of the hilt and grabbed his shoulder, glaring up at Vincent, who was staring back. He hadn't put down his arm yet. Cloud refused to let a wound like this hold him back in a battle.

Once again gripping onto the hilt of his sword, Cloud came at Vincent and pulled out the oversized blade, taking a sightless swing at the man in front of him. Vincent, as Cloud expected, easily dodged and came around Cloud so that he was behind him. Cloud bent his right knee and swung his left foot back in an attempt to kick Vincent, or perhaps trip him. Vincent jumped up swiftly, barely avoiding the brutal swipe of Cloud's leg.

Vincent landed, and Cloud jumped above Vincent, in hopes he would have a better shot at striking him with his sword. All seemed like it was going in slow motion from there on out. Cloud saw it all, each passing second going by in fourths. He saw Vincent aim his weapon at Cloud, but something stopped him, the gun's blasting noise ringing through Cloud's ears nevertheless. He saw Vincent's eyes go wide, and as Cloud landed behind Vincent, he looked up to see why.

He'd shot Tifa.

He heard a cry, and wasn't sure if it was from Tifa, Vincent, or himself. All he knew was that it was a cry of anguish, and it gave him chills. Without thinking, he ran forward to the fallen woman in front of him and immediately inspected her. What he saw made him freeze. Blood was coming from a spot near Tifa's right eye, and her face was frozen in shock. Cloud fell to the ground next to her and grabbed her hand, noticing that it was already cold. Tifa's breaths were short and sharp. Cloud felt a fabric brush against his back and knew that Vincent stood behind him. He couldn't care less at the moment, though, seeing as how all of his attention was focused on Tifa's now scarred face. She looked up at Cloud with a pained expression, and Cloud noted that the pain he saw in her face wasn't because of her injury. It was regret, it was sorrow, and worst of all… it was guilt, and Cloud then knew she wasn't going to last. A million things rushed into his head at once, so much that he fell over Tifa, both of his hands on the other side of her. He struggled to pull himself back up, and when he looked back at the woman's face, she was smiling, but not at him. She was smiling at the sky above her, the once clouded moonlight now shining on her once perfect face.

Vincent came around Cloud and slid his arms gently under Tifa's flaccid body. Cloud didn't stop him. Whether they'd just brawled or not, Cloud knew Vincent too well to assume he would do anything redundant to Tifa. He did watch, however, as Vincent gracefully leapt into the air once again with a very lifeless Tifa.

* * *

Oh snap.  
I hope readers were able to visualize this as much as I could. Of course, I'm the one that wrote it, but still. Like I said, drama, romance, tragedy, the whole sha-bang. If you notice any OOC-ness, grammatical or spelling erroes, or have any suggestions, please leave them in a review so I can improve. If you're the type that's firebug galore with your nasty flames, then go elsewhere. If I wanted to be criticized, I would have written a crappy story and posted it. Catch my drift? I accept supportive criticizm, but I'd appreciate it if you left some love, too.

Thanks for reading!


	2. Renaissance: Chapter 2

I was hoping for more than two reviews, but it's not exactly what readers want up to date. All people can look for now are random lemons and pointless fluffs, if you will. I refuse to write either. It ruins a perfect fanfiction. It saddens me to say that no one appreciates a good story anymore. It's despicable.

Ah, forgive my rambling. Please, read on!

* * *

There wasn't a cloud in the sky that his eyes hadn't met, and if there was, it hadn't passed over him yet.

Vincent sat on an old house's rooftop, his left leg stretched out in front of him, his right knee bent up and his left arm resting over it. He held himself up with his left arm while staring at the skies. Under that rooftop was nothing. Nothing apart from decaying walls, empty rooms, and probably a bug or two. The thoughts crossed over Vincent's mind again and again. He couldn't stop it, either. There was nothing else to think about. Everyone else had abandoned him, leaving him at fault for the tragic incident six years ago. Especially Marlene and Denzel.

But no one hated him more than Cloud did, and everyone was aware of this. If you knew Cloud _and_ Vincent, then you knew their hate for each other. Vincent wanted more than anything to blame Cloud for what happened, but he knew it was his own fault. Not just for killing Tifa, but for breaking the relationship of Cloud and Tifa, and breaking the friendship of Cloud and himself. He had had six years to think this over, and it only took him so long to make up his mind. He now considered Cloud to be a nonentity, and considered himself to be a criminal, in more ways than one.

Heaving a tired sigh, Vincent stood, never taking his eyes off the sky. He had a clear view of it, and never wanted to miss any part of it. The sky had become his friend over the past years. While the sun was up, he slightly enjoyed the relaxing breeze and the minor amount of heat. The clouds were usually very beautiful, so pale and pure. Even when it rained, it was peaceful. In fact, Vincent found the rain to be the most luring weather condition. When the sun would set and the moon came alive, Vincent was home. Where he was, there were no lights, no crowding trees, and there were millions of stars. Yes, the sky was his friend.

Hours passed, and Vincent found that the moon had once again taken him by surprise, hanging there in the black, surrounded by the sky's freckles. Vincent originally had had no intention of moving. He'd planned to sit there the entire night, as he'd done for many previous years, keeping the faces he tried to forget locked in his memory, viewing it again and again.

But tonight was different. Tonight, Vincent saw something other than swaying trees and random creatures in motion.

Tonight, he saw _Cloud_.

His face was as pale as the moon itself, and he wondered if Cloud was either ill or uneasy. His hair had grown out a bit longer, and it was still kept in the messy spiked do. He wore a much darker outfit, almost similar to Vincent's, but minus the cloak. It appeared to be a loose, leather pullover covered by a pocketed vest. His pants were exactly like Vincent's, but a bit tighter. He wore combat boots, predictably. It was all black, of course, and Vincent wondered if this was to reflect Cloud's overall mood. But what concerned Vincent the most was Cloud's eyes; there was no life in them anymore. As expected, Cloud didn't have a pleasant appearance, but after six years, you'd think it would be better than what Vincent saw.

Vincent's eyes trailed the path Cloud took. He walked on the side of the road across from the side the house Vincent was on stood. Then, he crossed. And he looked directly at Vincent.

Neither of them moved. Then again, it wasn't like either of them could; after six years, they were looking at each other in the eyes for the first time. Vincent felt something clench at his guts. The longer he stared into those dazzling sapphires, the weaker he felt. Cloud had a strange power to make you regret looking at him for so long, and Vincent knew this wasn't the right time to make that happen. He casually looked down, gracefully leapt of the roof, and stood straight up again. This time, when he looked back up at the blonde-haired man in front of him, he felt a much stronger feeling inside him, but it wasn't uneasiness. It was wonder. Admiration, more like. He seemed so angelic as he stood there, the breeze and moonlight having their way with his features, giving them such physical superiority that Vincent couldn't believe he was thinking about.

Finally, Cloud moved. He stepped forward in the direction of the spot where Vincent stood. He stopped when he was about ten feet away, his arms hanging at his sides, but Vincent noticed his fingers twitching a bit, as if tempted to curl into fists of revolt.

Vincent wondered if he should say something. Then again, what was he supposed to say? 'Sorry I killed your girlfriend six years ago, can we be friends again'? Vincent had never been in this position before, much less with a close friend like Cloud. Of course, friend was a loosely used term now. In fact, Vincent wouldn't be surprised if Cloud cursed at him on the spot. But he didn't. Instead, Vincent watched Cloud walk towards him more cautiously now, in a way that made it look like Cloud didn't recognize him. But Vincent knew he did; the look in his eyes was a questioning but sure look.

At last, Cloud was a mere foot away from Vincent, and they stood there for who knew how long. Vincent wanted to give an apology, but then again he didn't. If Cloud had come all this way to taunt him like this, there wasn't a chance in hell he'd get one. But Vincent wanted to make peace with Cloud, and there wasn't any way to do that, apart from giving in, and that was one habit Vincent was definitely not used to. Actually, he had to admit he had no experience in that area at all. Humbleness and submission were not familiar traits to him, and to practice them newly on an enemy was out of the question.

Vincent's eyes were pulled away from Cloud's own eyes when he saw something move in a lower point of his vision. As he brought his gaze to meet his distraction, they widened at the sight of it, and he immediately looked back into Cloud's stare with wonder and suspicion.

Cloud had held out his hand.

The man Vincent had thought about meeting again for half a dozen years was calling a truce. The first thought that crossed through Vincent's mind was that this was not Cloud, but some form of clone or shape shifter that thought getting kicks out of teasing Vincent would be a good idea. But as he looked deeper into Cloud's eyes, he saw more clearly that this was the Cloud he'd known for several years before their separation, and the look in those cobalt eyes was a decidedly confident one. Vincent's hand couldn't move, with the minor exception that it was trembling with confusion. The thought of Vincent's hand having a mind of its own was absurd to Vincent, and he shook the idea from his considerations. He lifted his arm and, quite slowly and hesitantly, grasped Cloud's hand in his.

They did not shake hands, nor did they let go. They stood there again, the new position giving both of them a bit of confidence. Their minds were racing, determining what to do next and how to do it, but their faces were calm and the hysteria in their heads was well hidden by the looks on their faces. Then, Vincent saw something that he'd only seen in dreams, something he never thought he would get the chance to see again.

Cloud smiled at him. He didn't just smile. He smiled _at_ Vincent, with a look in his eyes telling him that the hand gripping onto his was meaningful. Vincent understood this entirely, despite being taken aback by the sudden change in Cloud's expression, and returned the smile. They released each other's hands and stood there for only another moment, and Vincent decided to make a daring move.

"Come inside with me."

They sat on the floor. Like they had any choice, anyway. Everything had been taken out of the house less than a year after Cloud had moved out. There wasn't a fouler odor Vincent had ever met in his life, and he had to use much of his willpower not to wrinkle his nose in complete disgust. He'd already seen three bugs, each a different type.

His biggest concern was that it was in fact colder in the abandoned house than it was outside. Vincent knew it had to be at least thirty degrees on the other side of the house's walls, and he could only imagine the temperature that surrounded them now. Actually, he could feel it, and it was well around mid twenties. He knew Cloud was one to get sick easily, and despite the fact that the temperature change that usually caused a cold was about ten degrees lower in their case, Vincent was sure Cloud would still be vulnerable to the dramatic effects of the weather. He wasn't sure why his thoughts had trailed to Cloud's sickness abilities, but they were there, and he quickly snapped out of it, looking at Cloud. Apparently he hadn't noticed, because he was staring at a small crack in the floor as he had been doing before Vincent's daydreams had gotten a hold of him. Vincent looked around for a moment, as if something to say was going to appear on the wall. Alas, it didn't, so he cleared his throat to break the silence. Cloud still didn't take notice. Vincent wasn't sure what to do. He'd subconsciously invited Cloud into a home that wasn't his, but it was too much of an uncomfortable moment to talk about anything that they would normally talk about. That was what he was used to, too.

"How are Marlene and Denzel?"

The look Cloud flashed at him wasn't a good one, and Vincent wondered what he'd done wrong. Right now, Cloud was thinking about strangling Vincent, but caught himself. Vincent had been isolated from his once friends for six years… how could he have expected Vincent to know? He sighed deeply and let it out, as if to steady himself.

"Marlene's dead."

Vincent's eyes got a bit wider and he let out a breath of surprise. Dead? How the hell was that possible? He saw hurt in Cloud's eyes, and didn't press him further. The last thing he wanted to do was raise tension at the moment, so he brought up another subject.

"I've regretted the past, Cloud. For the first time in my –"

"I know." He took another breath. "So have I."

Vincent gave a disapproving look at the man sitting before him. Cloud, of all people should not have to regret anything. Then again, he had had six years to think about why this was _his_ fault; Cloud was just like that. Vincent shook his head.

"You have nothing to regret, my friend."

Both of their heads jerked up. Neither of them had thought they'd hear it so early. Much less say it. Six years after an unintentional murder… and Vincent had to blurt out the phrase he was so used to giving. Cloud, surprising both of them, smiled slightly.

"You're a brave man, Vincent." He lowered his head. "But you're wrong. I have much to regret. You forget that Tifa had agreed with your suggestion." Vincent flinched at this statement; he hadn't wanted Cloud to bring up the subject, and he hadn't wanted his own name to be in it, but he figured Cloud had every right to say what he wanted to say, so he let him continue. "Tifa wouldn't agree if she loved every part of me, which I believe is what lovers are supposed to do. If they don't, they don't belong together whatsoever. I loved all of Tifa. Every bit of her, and she pulled away from me not because of you, but because she thought there was something about me she didn't love." He glanced up without moving his head. "I'm not blaming you… my friend."

Vincent nodded, then actually smiled. This was going much better than he thought it would. Apparently Cloud's healing had gone rather well over the years, and to Vincent's advantage, he was in a good mood now. Either that, or Cloud was trying harder than Vincent was. The thought made Vincent chuckle, and Cloud gave a questioning look. Vincent smiled again and stood, holding out a hand and lifting Cloud up with him.

"I was just thinking of how oddly we're getting along." Cloud smiled back.

"You know I've never been one to hold a grudge."

"I realize that, but what I did –"

"…Was an accident. And even if it weren't, I would still forgive you. You were my friend before my enemy, and I refuse to allow you to blame yourself for anything you did. It wasn't your fault, and it wasn't mine. Tifa wouldn't want either of us to hate each other after so many years of trust and comradeship. You're my friend, Vincent, and I look to you as a child looks to his older brother. And…" he paused. "I'm sorry."

Vincent, for the first time in his very life, wanted to cry. He wanted to shed tears of so many emotions, the ones he'd purposely held inside him to avoid showing signs of weakness. He'd never been the type to show signs of pain, flaw, or melancholy. But now, here alone in the abandoned house Cloud had once lived in, after hearing the most personal and touching thing anyone had ever directed at him, he lowered his gaze in shame as a single tear slid down one of his pale cheeks. He said nothing and did nothing, but let the tear trail to his jaw line, then stop. Cloud reached forward, and with a single but gentle flick of his finger, the tear was no longer attached to Vincent. He stared at the man – who still wouldn't look at him – for quite a while. He looked so different when he cried, even if it was a single tear. He looked as if he were about to break, his light skin and soft features making him look like he were made of some valuable material.

But what scared Cloud was that Vincent was a human being, and all of them had emotion like this. The ones that only showed it so many times in front of others were the most susceptible. Cloud hadn't ever seen Vincent cry, and it pained him to know that he'd caused it. Of course, he did not yet know what reason the tear had appeared for, but it wasn't his place to ask at the moment. Instead, he took a step forward and put his hands on either of Vincent's shoulders, waited until he looked at him, and pulled him into a hug.

Vincent was shocked. Sure, they'd "hugged" a couple times before the six years of separation, and they'd been talking just now like they had before as well. But still, Vincent had never expected such an affectionate motion. He slowly brought his hands up and placed them on Cloud's back, trying to hold in the tears he so badly wanted to let go of. He hadn't ever cried in his life, other than a day after he'd killed Tifa. But that was different. That was mourning and grief. This was something different entirely. His tears that he was now beginning to lose his battle to were tears of various emotions, so many he couldn't name them all. But one he knew for sure of was love. He loved this man, as Cloud had so forwardly put it, like a brother. He didn't realize it until now that he still cared about him, and still felt the need to protect him from anything. And now, again, he was snapped out of his thoughts by yet another distraction. When he realized what it was, he froze.

_Cloud was crying._

Cloud hadn't made any noises, and he hadn't moved, but Vincent felt a tear cold enough to send a shiver down his spine fall onto his collarbone. Cloud had lowered his head so his nose could probably touch Vincent's shoulder if he made it. There wasn't a thing in the world Vincent wanted more than to hug Cloud tighter, and reassure him that there was no need for tears, and that they were being foolish for crying like this.

Well, one out of three isn't _that_ bad.

Vincent let two more tears go, and he wrapped his arms completely around Cloud. They stood that way for what seemed like hours. It was all let go… the tension, the pain, the anxiety, the odium, and the uncertainty… all in a single hug. But to them, it was more than a single hug. It was like signing an official pact in staining ink, yet the only stains being made were the feelings each felt in their hearts.

Finally, they let go of each other, almost reluctantly. It was almost like if they let go, the peace they'd made would be lost. But that was impossible now, they both knew, and they felt more comfortable around each other than either had felt by themselves for six years.

Vincent abruptly realized what they had just done, and backed away from Cloud. It suddenly seemed so wrong at the moment, like it was a forbidden action by the law. Cloud must have guessed his thoughts – he was so good at it – because he sighed and lowered his head again. This was ridiculous. They were going too fast, but after so many years, how fast _were_ you supposed to restore lost bonds?

"Are you uncomfortable?"

Vincent gave a content look towards Cloud, who returned it. It was a stupid question to most, but a rhetorical question to them. Finally, he gave a single, slight nod, his face hidden in the neck of his cloak as he lowered his head. Cloud gave an acknowledged nod back.

And the two of them didn't know what else to do.

* * *

For you narrow-minded readers, think about this before you comment (if you do). If you've read this, it might have taken ten minutes tops. The time skip is six years. Six very, very long years, both for Vincent and Cloud (Vincent should be understandable; I'll explain Cloud's situation in the next chapter).

Thank you for reading! I hope I have at least triple the amount of readers I did in the first chapter. Until next time!

-Scarlet


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